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One Great Thing I Did Last Year: Design A Locally Relevant, Salable Jewelry Collection | May 26, 2015 (0 comments)
Merrick, NY—In our ongoing series titled “One Great Thing I Did Last Year (That You Can Do This Year)," The Centurion asks retailers to tell us about one outstanding thing they did in 2014 that turned out really well. This week, Kathleen Hay of Croghan’s Jewel Box in Charleston, SC, shares her insight.
“We are a fourth-generation jewelry store,” says Hay. “My sister Mariana and I recently joined the business. My mom challenged my sister to come up with a line that would be unique to our store and relate to our city in some way. Mariana ended up creating a costume jewelry line called the Goldbug Collection that features palmetto bugs (aka cockroaches).
“The line became a big hit with locals and visitors alike! The reasonable price points and quirky motifs made for a fun purchase,” says Hay. “People also really thought it was neat that they were designed and created at our store. The collection has received lots of press from bloggers, magazine editorial, and various advertisements, because of our close connection with our local convention and visitors bureau.”
This type of creativity and community involvement earned the two a spot on Southern Living’s “50 People Who Are Changing the South in 2015” List. The magazine refers to the palmetto bug as “the city’s unofficial mascot.” And better yet, younger customers liked the new line, which Hay says “really made our store relevant with the next generation of customers.”
And future plans? Mariana plans to continue to expand the line and create fine jewelry pieces.
Sisters Mariana (standing) and Kathleen Hay (sitting).
The only way you'd ever want to see a swarm of palmetto bugs: a necklace from the Goldbug collection.
Click to view other "One Great Thing" stories in our series:
- Rethink Your Store Hours
- Hire Help For The Busywork
- Handwrite Invitations
- Update Your Store's Atmosphere
- Build More Community Relationships
- Optimize Your Inventory System
- 'Your Repair Is Ready' Phone Calls
- Facebook Engagement Photos (With Permission)
- Fundraising For Your Local Community
- Get Social With Facebook and Instagram
- Help Your Community Celebrate The Holidays